Webster "City Late" Lichaba (born 6 October 1954) is a retired South African

football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

who played for

Orlando Pirates Orlando Pirates Football Club, referred to as simply Pirates, is a South African professional football club based in Orlando, Soweto that plays in the top-tier system of Football in South Africa known as Betway Premiership. The team plays i ...

Atlanta Chiefs The Atlanta Chiefs were an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team competed in the National Professional Soccer League (1967), National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League ...

and

Jomo Cosmos Jomo Cosmos is a South African soccer club based in Johannesburg that plays in the ABC Motsepe League. The club is owned and coached by South African football legend Jomo Sono. At the end of the 2021–22 National First Division season, the ...

Youth career

Born in Mzimhlophe, he lived a street away from Ryder Mofokeng. He played for White City Lucky Brothers with Mofokeng.

Orlando Pirates

When he was signed from Mzimhlophe Callies at age 19, he became a teammate of

Jomo Sono Ephraim Matsilele Sono OIS (born Madoda Walletjies Mkulwana, 17 July 1955), better known as Jomo Sono, is a South African football club owner, coach and former professional footballer. He has been variously nicknamed the "Black Prince of Sout ...

. He captained them and won three league titles with Pirates.

Atlanta Chiefs

When he moved to

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1980 the chairman was

Ted Turner Robert Edward Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and Philanthropy, philanthropist. He founded the CNN, Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, ...

, the founder of

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

. He nearly earned 100 appearances for Chiefs. He also appeared in a handful of

indoor Indoor(s) may refer to: *the interior of a building *Indoor environment, in building science, traditionally includes the study of indoor thermal environment, indoor acoustic environment, indoor light environment, and indoor air quality *Built envi ...

matches for the Chiefs at that time

Jomo Cosmos

Lichaba was brought back to his home country by his retired former teammate

who had acquired a team. In the 1986 season, he set the record for the most starts in a season, 46. That feat was also achieved by

Helman Mkhalele Helman Nkosiyethu Mkhalele (born 20 October 1969) is a South African former soccer player who played as a midfielder. Club career He was the part of the Orlando Pirates squad that won the 1994 National Soccer League and 1995 African Cup of ...

in 1993. He retired at the age of 37.

After Retirement

In 2001, he became an assistant coach at

Supersport United SuperSport United Football Club (often known as SuperSport) is a South African professional association football, football club based in Atteridgeville in Pretoria in the Gauteng province. The team currently plays in the South African Premier Di ...

and their team manager in 2003 onwards. He is also the junior academy's scout.

Personal life

He is married to Buyi Radebe-Lichaba. He is the father of 4 girls, Nthabiseng, Neo, Tlholo as well as South African award winning singer,

Lira Lira is the name of several currency units. It is the current Turkish lira, currency of Turkey and also the local name of the Lebanese pound, currencies of Lebanon and of Syrian pound, Syria. It is also the name of several former currencies, ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lichaba, Webster 1954 births Living people Men's association football midfielders South African men's soccer players South African expatriate men's soccer players Soccer players from Soweto Atlanta Chiefs players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States South African expatriate sportspeople in the United States Jomo Cosmos F.C. players Orlando Pirates F.C. players South African soccer managers 20th-century South African sportsmen